Lemon Perfect Names Industry Veteran, Mari Lee, as Chief Marketing Officer

Malaysian Reserve

2 days ago

Amid Accelerated National Growth for the Better-for-You Beverage Brand, Laura-Lynn Freck also Joins as Vice President of Strategy
ATLANTA, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Lemon Perfect, the zero-sugar, naturally refreshing lemon water brand redefining the beverage category, today announced the appointment of Mari Lee as its new Chief Marketing Officer. A seasoned executive with more than 20 years of experience leading top consumer brands, Lee brings a wealth of expertise in scaling high-growth businesses and building culturally resonant marketing platforms. This announcement follows the recent hire of Laura-Lynn Freck as Vice President of Strategy, signaling a bold new chapter for the brand as it accelerates into its next phase of growth.
Lemon Perfect has doubled down on growth with strategic hires in marketing and strategy, bolstering its leadership team to meet rising demand and fuel long-term brand momentum. Lee joins as a commercial-minded marketing executive with a consistent track record of developing scalable playbooks and building high-performing teams across leading consumer brands. She most recently served as Senior Vice President of Nutrabolt, where she led global brand expansion of nearly 400 SKUs and helped contribute to 3,536% growth over 5 years for C4 Energy. Previously, Lee was Chief Marketing Officer for High Brew Coffee, where she grew sales volume 2,200% over four years. Before that, she was Vice President of Field Marketing for Kind LLC., having launched KIND's Field Marketing department in 2009 and growing its Field Team to over 200 people across 26 markets.
Prior to KIND, Lee spent time working in Marketing at Glaceau (Vitaminwater & Smartwater), Red Bull, and at WXRT Radio in Chicago. Through this experience, Lee has gained a deep understanding of brand strategy, commercial marketing, cross-functional leadership, and partnership execution.
Lee joins Lemon Perfect at a critical juncture, following the release of its updated packaging and two newest flavors, Sunshine Tea and Lime, and with upcoming product launches and innovations on its horizon. 'Mari is a force. Her ability to build brands that shape culture and convert at scale is second to none,' said Jeff Popkin, CEO of Lemon Perfect. 'She brings the perfect mix of creative vision, commercial rigor, and consumer instinct that will take Lemon Perfect from a disruptive challenger to a household name. With undeniable product–market fit and Mari's leadership, Lemon Perfect is positioned to accelerate into our next phase of explosive growth.'
'With an incredible product and a powerhouse leadership team, Lemon Perfect is uniquely positioned at the intersection of health and flavor and is primed for success,' said Mari Lee. 'I'm excited to work with our team and, together, I'm confident we can take this brand to new heights.'
Also joining the team is Laura-Lynn Freck, who brings two decades of strategic planning and consumer insight expertise. Freck spent 10 years at Red Bull, helping shape long-term strategic growth, and three years at Zevia, where she helped define brand positioning and retail strategy. She is known for translating deep consumer understanding into data-driven, actionable growth strategies.
'Laura-Lynn brings a laser-sharp strategic mindset rooted in deep consumer understanding,' added Popkin. 'She knows how to unlock growth across every channel, from retail to digital, and has the rare ability to turn insights into action. Her leadership will be essential as we double down on execution and strengthen our position in the fast-growing functional beverage space.'
'Mari is a best-in-class brand builder whose hustle, instinct, and strategic firepower make her the perfect CMO to help Lemon Perfect break through and win—not just in retail and on the digital shelf, but in culture at large,' said Yanni Hufnagel, Founder and Executive Chairman of Lemon Perfect. 'Laura-Lynn has a proven track record of unlocking growth for iconic consumer brands—her insight, experience, and leadership will be invaluable as we scale Lemon Perfect into a household name.'
Since its founding in 2017, Lemon Perfect has experienced explosive growth fueled by a passionate consumer base, bold innovation, and a mission to democratize high-quality, healthy hydration. With a strengthened leadership bench and bold vision, the brand is primed to lead the future of better-for-you beverages.
About Lemon PerfectLemon Perfect is a delicious and refreshing flavored lemon water with zero sugar and no artificial flavors or sweeteners. Powered by half a squeezed organic lemon in every bottle, Lemon Perfect contains only ten calories and is packed with 100% Daily Value vitamin C for immune support. The company was founded in 2017 by former NCAA basketball coach Yanni Hufnagel and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. The company's mission is to reinvent bottled water – delivering delicious, refreshing, and healthy hydration that's zero sugar, full of flavor, and made to move with you – anytime, anywhere, and for everyone. Lemon Perfect is available at retailers nationwide, on Amazon and lemonperfect.com. For more information, visit www.lemonperfect.com or follow @lemonperfect on Instagram and TikTok.
Media Contact:[e-mail]